Material-feeding mechanism.



H. ZIMMERMAN.

MATERIAL FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.23, 1910.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO1- WMHINOTON, D. C.

H. ZIMMERMAN.

MATERIAL FEEDING MECHANISM.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1910. 1,034,555. Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

6! 1- I E. 4 e7 Q/WM mo 0 UNTTED STATES PATEN T @FFTCE.

HARRY ZIMMERMAN, F FREMONT, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE CHADDOCK-KURZ REVERSIBLE GLOVE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

MATERIAL-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 19

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HARRY ZIMMERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fremont, Sandusky county, Ohio, have invented new and useful Material-Feeding Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for handling material, especially a plurality of thicknesses of material from separate rolls.

This invention has utility when embodied in an installation with a machine to simultaneously act upon a plurality of thicknesses of material, as a cutting or die press.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away of an embodiment of the invention in connection with a press of the plunger type for actuating dies; Fig. 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the controlling connections from the press; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view in plan of the pull device release or disconnecting scheme; Fig. 4 is a view in elevation with parts broken away, looking toward the press from the pull device, to show the driving connections; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the gripping jaws of the pull device; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail View of independent material guiding means, with one of the alining device systems; Fig. 7 is a side View, with parts broken away of the alining device of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an end view of one of the roll carrying brackets, having retarding and alining devices in connection therewith; Fig. 9 is a longitudinal view, partially bro-ken away, showing the roll mounting; and Fig. 10 is an end view of the other roll carrying bracket.

The press 1 is provided with the primary or operating plunger 2 designed to force dies down through a plurality of thicknesses of material disposed upon the platform or press board 3 when moved under the plunger 2. Extending to the platform 3 as a conducting device for the multiple fabric is a pair of parallel guide plates 4 between which the material may travel.

Mounted on the plunger 2 and extending laterally thereof is a pair of brackets 5 yieldably carrying the auxiliary or pre pressing plunger 6, which is automatically adjustable in its action in coming down upon the material simultaneously as the press acts upon the dies. This pre-presslng of the material is efiective in well compacting the several layers, to remove air and wrinkles, thereby insuring more uniform die action with the added benefit to the dies of uniformly firm surface upon which to act. Opposing the plunger 6 is the sustaining or base plate 7 adjustable by rotation of wheel 8 actuating the worm wheels 9 disposed on shafts near each corner of the plate 7 to regulate its height uniformly at each point in its upward or downward movement under the lower guide plate 4. This adjustment of the plate 7 is similar to that effected by wheel 10 actuating worm wheels 11 to adjust the connecting rods 12 from the driving eccentric 13 of the press.

The brackets from the press frame 1 which sustain the plate 7 carry the tracks or ways 14. Adjustable brackets 15 connected to the guide plates 4, are mounted upon rollers 16, to permit of ready reciprocation in connection with the press board 3 with which the guide plates travel. The board 3 with the material thereon is dis posed as shown in Fig. 1, the material from slack, drawn thereon, the dies set, the board moved under the plunger 2 for the cutting operation. To aid in free delivery of the material to the guide plates 4, roller 17 is disposed near the end of the lower plate 4, over which the material may travel. Adjacent the roller 17 alining guide plates or checks 18 serve as a device to aid in keeping the several layers of material uniformly superposed.

To throw the press in for driving, the hand lever 19 is effective through link 20 to rock the cranked shaft 21 to throw the clutch cone 22 to rock the arm 23 to cause the spring clutch ring 24 mounted in the drum 25 to grip the inner clutch member 26 fast on shaft 27, and thereby through pinion 28 actuate gear 29 fast on shaft 30, which through pinions 31 actuate the gears 32 to effect the main press action. Brake 33 many serve to hold the driving shaft 27 which is actuated by the pulley 34.

To throw in the pull device of the feeding mechanism, hand lever 35 is provided adjacent the hand lever 19. Hand lever 35 is connected to rock clutch fork 36 engaging thrust cone 37 on shaft 27. Movement of clutch cone 37 is effective to rock the cam arm 38 mounted in the clutch drum 39, similar to clutch drum 25. Cone clutch element 37 is accordingly effective to connect shaft 27 through the clutch in drum 39 to drive the pinion 40, loosely mounted on the shaft 27. Speed reduction from pinion 40 is through the gear 41 on shaft 30, connected to pinion 42 in mesh with gear 43 on shaft 27, connected to pinion 44 in mesh with the gear 45 on shaft 30. This train of gearing is loosely mounted on the shafts 27,30. Con nected to the gear wheel 45 is the eccentric 46, having link 47 effective to rock the shaft 48 when the gearing is connected up for driving. Near each end of the shaft 48 is an upwardly extending arm 49 connected to reciprocate links 50, extending through the slides 51. Each link 50, on each side of the slide guide 51 has limit or stop pins 52, 53. The slide guides 51 are mounted in the frame 54 having material alining cheek plates similar to the plates 18. This frame 54 is mounted to reciprocate along the way 55. The frame 54 has pivot-ally mounted therein bell crank members or angle levers 56, 57, to the arms of which are connected links 58 extending to the push members or links 50. In the rocking of the arms 49 away from the press 1, the links 50, through the pins 53 are effective to push the frame 54 back, links 58 simultaneously rocking the members 56, 57, to open up the jaws 59, while in the reverse travel of the arms 49, links 58 are draw members, causing the jaw members 56, 57, to close and firmly grip the material, as well as draw it toward the press 1. The pins 52 may serve to limit the move ment of the jaws toward each other.

Engaging in the groove of clutch element 37 is the finger 60 carried by the angle lever 61 having pivotal mounting 62 on the press frame 1. This lever 61 has on its arm remote from the finger 60, a cam face 63 serving to actuate pin 64 against the resistance of spring 65 in the housing 66 carried by one of the arms 49. This depressing of the pin 64 allows of the full draw up travel of the rock arms 49, when they have been thrown in by hand lever 35, have traveled outwardly, gripped the several layers of material, and brought it toward the press. In completing this cycle of travel, as arm 49 starts outward again, the pin 64 engages the projecting face 67 of the lever 61, rocking the lever to cause the finger 60 to withdraw clutch element 37 to disconnect the pinion 40 from the driving shaft 27. The spring clutch ring in the drum 39 effects this release of the driving shaft as soon as the arm 38 starts to move in along the cone face of element 37.

Beyond the slide way 55 of the pull device is shown a frame 68, having brackets 69 for mounting rolls of material 7 0. These rolls are provided with a central core element 71. with an opening therethrough. Near one end this opening in the core element 71 has a lateral extension in which fits the hook element 72 held in position by the central bearing bar 73 extending through the element 71. Slipped upon one end of this bearing bar 73, which is shown as of angular form, is the spool 74 thus locked to rotate with the roll 70. The hook element 72 has its threaded end protruding through the spool 74, the rectangular opening in which spool has a groove therein permitting of the seating of this element 72 beside the bar 73. The spool 74 also has in this groove, near the outer face of the spool a transverse groove to receive the collar on the adjusting nut 75 for the element 72. By this device, rotating of the nut 7 5lpositively shifts the roll toward or from the bracket 69 in which the spool 74 is rotatably seated, permitting alining of stock.

In rapid operation of the press 1, the pull ups of the feeding mechanism unwinding material from the rolls 70 start rotation of the rolls, which rotation would ordinarily exceed the amount of material pulled forward and would vary with different rolls. This would mean a most wasteful handling of stock, as well as to a marked degree detracting from the economy of this multiple fabric cutting. Placing the stock under tension for the drawing forward, not only removes wrinkles therein, but gives some advantage in stretch of the cloth, with incidental uniform feeding by adjusting the retarding device for the several rolls.

The retarding device is shown as comprising the pair of friction element-s 76 embracing the spool 74 on the bearing portion there of between the forks of the bracket 69. The nut 77 permits of adjustment of the gripping action of the elements 76, while the spring 78 interposed between the wing nut 77 and the elements 76 allows of yielding operation. The elements 76 in contacting the bracket 69 are held from rotation. This retarder places the roll under uniform resistance to rotation throughout its whole length, possessing marked advantages over a clamping into a bearing which tends to cramp the roll, throwing it out of line and thus interfering with regular paying out of stock.

To sustain .the opposite end of the roll, and like bracket 69, permit of ready charging with other rolls, there is provided the bracket 79 having a pivoted keep or locking element 80, the pivot bearing of which is slotted to permit travel over the flange or stop 81 in swinging in to holding position, and then dropping behind this stop 81 to retain the bearing bar 73 against working out. The columns of the frame 68 carry the rolls and are shown as so spaced to permit of ready replacement of any roll at any time. The bracket guides 82 guide the stock from any lower roll away from contacting a higher roll and thus interfere with individual paying out of the rolls to the common way to the pull device.

The lower rolls may be supplied from either side, while the upper ones may more conveniently be placed in position from the side opposite to that in which the cloth is conducted upward past the brackets 82, bars 7 3 not being of such length to prohibit this setting, by giving the roll some slant in bringing into position.

As the layers of material pass upward from the rolls 70, adjustable alining devices are provided in the frames 83 comprising rods 84 having near one end fast thereon blocks 85 fixedly engaging parallel rods 86 having fixed thereon remote from blocks 85, blocks 87 slidable on the rods 84. The blocks 85, 87, are of distance apart equal to the width of the stock. Adjusting nuts 88 held in the frame 83, are effective by rotation to reciprocate the'rods 84 and thus positively determine the line of travel of the stock passing between the blocks 85, 87, and parallel rods 84:, 86, for individual delivery over the guide rollers 89 on their travel to the common way to the pull device.

When the pinion 40 is disconnected by the release device, to prevent momentum of the moving parts rocking the jaws sufficiently to release the multiple layers of stock, a friction brake 90 is shown as adjustably clamping the gear wheel 41. This may be a simple retarder built up of wooden blocks.

The manual throwing in of the pull device may be advantageously done when the press is driving the dies into the stock and the pre-press is firmly holding the material against slacking back by gripping between the plates 6, 7. The material so supplied to the press, is easily drawn forward with the movement of the press board from beneath the plunger. The pre-pressing thoroughly compacts the several layers of stock, which may be somewhat loosened up by the pull device. However, there is no feeding of a plurality of thicknesses of the material about any angles or corners, to modify equal paying out of each roll, for the delivery from each roll is individual to the common way leading to the pull device, which way is straight, and therefore eliminates any excess of stock due to larger radius travels. The gripping jaws of the pull device and the pro-press by holding the material prevent any modification of this uniform supply from the separate rolls.

lVhat is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. The combination with a a material travel way, die means for action upon an area of the material upon which said plunger may act, and a pro-pressing plunger carried by said operating plunger, said pre-pressing plunpress having an operating plunger,

ger coextensive with the die means to act upon the material in its travel along the way.

2. The combination with a press of a pull device connected to be operated from the press to draw material toward the press, and automatically releasable driving means for the device.

3. The combination in nism of a pull device, driving mechanism therefor, means for connecting the pull device up to the driving mechanism, and an automatic release for disconnecting the device from the driving mechanism.

4. The combination with a platform to which material is to be fed, of a pull device for drawing material toward the platform, an automatic release for disconnecting the device, and a retarder to brake the device.

5. A pull device comprising a jaw member, a push member for releasing said jaw member, and link draw additional means connected to the jaw member to cause it to grip the material to be pulled.

6. A pull device comprising a pivotedj aw member provided with a pushing link to free, and an additional pulling link to grip the material to be pulled.

7. A pull device comprising a pair of pivoted jaw members, a reciprocable push member movable to open up the jaw members, and additional draw means connected to the jaw members independently of the push member to cause the jaw members to close.

8. The combination with a plurality of rolls for supplying material, a way to which said pluralityof rolls may deliver, actuating mechanism for the material, and an alining device for the material from the rolls.

9. The combination with a plurality of rolls for supplying material, a way to which said plurality of rolls may deliver, actuating mechanism for the material, and an adjustable alining device for the material from the rolls.

10. The combination with a plurality of rolls for supplying material, a way to which said rolls may deliver, actuating mechanism for the material, and a roll adjusting device to aline the rolls with said way.

11. A feeding mechanism comprising a material carrying roll mounting from which the material is supplied, a retarding device for said roll, a stop against which said device is movable, and a lateral roll bearing gripped by the device to center therewith.

12. A feeding mechanism comprising a material carrying roll mounting from which the material is supplied, a yieldable retarding device for said roll, a stop against which said device is movable, and a lateral roll bearing gripped by the device to center therewith.

13. A feeding mechanism comprising a a feeding mechamaterial carrying roll mounting fromwhich the material is supplied, an adjustable retarding device for said roll, a stop against which said device is movable, and a lateral roll bearing gripped by the d'evice'to center therewith.

14. A feeding mechanism comprising a material carrying roll mounting from which the material is supplied, said mounting embodying a bearing, a grip device mounted on the bearing, and means for resisting rotation of the grip device.

15. A feeding mechanism roll mounting comprising a bracket having a bearing and a stop, and a pivoted keep movable to be retained by said stop and thereby holding the bearing in position.

16. The combination with a press of material feeding mechanism connected thereto to be operated thereby,:o'fsupporting means for a plurality of rolls of material to be fed, a common way for the material from the several rolls toward the press, and independent guiding means for the material from each roll to the way.

17. The combination with supporting means for a plurality of rolls of material HARRY ZIMMERMAN.

WVit-nesses:

KATHERINE 13101;, E. L. Boson.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 7

. Washington, D. G. 

